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  • Airmen participate in Unified Engagement 2010

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe officials joined representatives from seven other countries here to participate in Unified Engagement 2010, which started June 7 and continues through June 11.The Unified Engagement seminar is the fourth Building Partnership Seminar USAFE officials have conducted with

  • Tinker maintained B-1 milestone

    A B-1 Lancer will reach the 10,000-hour flying mark by early June. Initially envisioned with a 20-year service life in 1985, the aircraft wasn't expected to reach such a milestone, Tinker officials said. Through the dedication and hard work of the members of the 76th Maintenance Wing's programmed

  • Air Force website offers legal assistance

    Next time clients need a will, power of attorney or just have a legal question, they can visit the new Air Force Legal Assistance website at https://aflegalassistance.law.af.mil. The website is designed for active-duty and reserve component members, retirees and dependents. Officials created the

  • Defense leaders laud air-sea battle concept initiative

    The air-sea battle concept being developed by Air Force and Navy officials exemplifies the closer, more integrated relationships the military needs in order to confront future challenges, top Pentagon leaders said.The new concept is "a prime example of how we need to keep breaking down stovepipes

  • MyAirForceLife.com photography competition

    Air Force Services Agency officials are accepting photograph entries on MyAirForceLife.com, now through July 4, as part of the Year of the Air Force Family.This is an opportunity for Airmen and eligible patrons of Air Force morale, welfare and recreation programs to express through photos what Air

  • Global Hawk takes northern route, improves efficiency

    Staff Sgt. Ryan Conversi's eyes remain focused on a pair of industrial-strength laptop computers as the time approaches for the next launch of an RQ-4 Global Hawk on the Beale Air Force Base flightline. One of the computers is a vehicle test controller and the other contains Sergeant Conversi's

  • How the Air Force Uniform Board works

    Throughout the years, Air Force uniforms have evolved to meet modern day operational requirements, but few Airmen know the process involved or who is responsible for these changes.The biggest misconceptions seem to center around the uniform board. Contrary to what some believe, the board is not the

  • Air Force awarded top honors for excellence in public relations

    The U.S. Air Force received top honors June 3 at the Public Relations Society of America's annual Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony at the Equitable Tower in New York City. This is the first time the Air Force has received the PRSA's most esteemed, "Best of Silver Anvil" Award, recognized as the civilian

  • VA secretary announces new hotline for homeless veterans

    Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced June 3 the establishment of a new telephone hotline to provide emergency support and resources to homeless veterans. He made the announcement as he toured the facility at the VA medical center in Canandaigua."It is unacceptable for a single

  • Altus Airmen exercise mass casualty response and recovery

    Altus Air Force Base officials conducted an in-depth force protection exercise here June 1, in a continuing effort to train and prepare base members to respond to a mass casualty incident. After months of preparation, and a smaller-scale exercise conducted May 12, officials from Altus AFB, Jackson

  • Air Force fitness program revision rewards excellent Airmen

    Based upon service-wide feedback, Airmen who earn an "excellent" on the new fitness test will now only have to test once a year according to a new revision to the Air Force Fitness Program."We believe this will recognize fitness excellence and serve as an incentive for more Airmen to improve their

  • New cyber chief: People key in meeting cyberspace challenge

    Cyberspace will provide "tremendous opportunities for the future, but also tremendous vulnerabilities," the commander of U.S. Cyber Command said June 3 in his first public appearance since assuming his new post.Citing the explosion in use of the Internet, e-mail, social networking and instant

  • Neurology residents score highest in nation

    Neurology residents at Wilford Hall Medical Center here are scoring among the highest of all residency programs in the United States."During the past two years, our residents scored in the 98th percentile on their residency in-service training exams. This year they scored in the 100th percentile,"

  • New tech-advanced classroom awaits F-35 students

    A foundation for how the first generation of F-35 Lightning II pilots and maintainers trains for the next half century continues to evolve here as 33rd Fighter Wing officials add state-of-the-art technology to the classroom arsenal. "The technology is fabulous. It brings us to a revolutionary new

  • Ramstein Airmen perform in-depth inspection on C-130J

    The first isochronal inspection on Ramstein Air Base's earliest C-130J Super Hercules aircraft kicked off here May 26. A team of about 60 active-duty Airmen from different specialty codes, all familiar with the J model, examined tail number 8601 during the 10-day inspection.An ISO inspection, much

  • Technology drives new, better ways to educate Airmen

    Cell phones could soon be the ticket to keeping up with professional development requirements. That's just one concept being explored by officials at Air Education and Training Command, the Air Force's training and education component. Like their counterparts in the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, AETC

  • DOD certifies 6 programs under Nunn-McCurdy Law breaches

    Department of Defense officials have certified that six acquisition programs, including the F-35 Lightning II and the DDG-1000 destroyer, should continue under Nunn-McCurdy legislation.  The systems also include the block 3 upgrade program for the Apache AH-64 helicopter, the advanced threat

  • Vietnam combat lessons apply today, Mullen says

    The military's top officer called on Vietnam veterans to stay connected with today's servicemembers, saying their lessons learned, especially with post-traumatic stress disorder, can help veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made

  • Iraqi forces practice lifesaving measures

    Members of the Iraqi air force and army participated in a mass casualty exercise recently at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Iraqi forces from Al-Muthana, Camp Taji and New Al-Muthana demonstrated their abilities to assess and treat several types of conditions that may happen if they were to enter a combat

  • Airmen upgrade GPS constellation

    Airmen from the 2nd Space Operations Squadron and from the 19th SOPS took control of the Air Force's newest GPS satellite following its launch into orbit May 28 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.  The GPS IIF SV-1 satellite represents a substantial upgrade for the GPS constellation. Thanks

  • Units make history with Air Force's first homeland defense ORI

    Three units representing each component of the Air Force made history here May 16 through 23 when they successfully completed the first homeland defense operational readiness inspection.The ORI, held at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center here, was administered by the Air Mobility Command

  • Air Force security transfers authority to Army

    Members of the 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron here transferred authority for base security to Soldiers from the 1st Special Troops Battalion during a ceremony here May 28. In addition to the transfer of authority, the 506th ESFS was officially inactivated. 506th ESFS Airmen ensured the

  • Air Guard successfully tests back-up for messaging systems

    Air National Guard members teamed up with contractors and other industry partners to create and execute a back-up system for their messaging systems."Until now, the survivability of (Non-classified internet protocol router) e-mail was dependent upon restoring data from backup disks and tapes," said

  • Mullen: Honoring the nation's fallen warriors

    Not long after the Civil War, Americans pledged to honor those who, as Abraham Lincoln put it, gave the last full measure of devotion.Be they from Lexington and Concord, Gettysburg and Antietam, the Argonne Forest or the beaches of Normandy, Chosin and Inchon, Saigon and the Mekong Delta, Baghdad or

  • New security strategy touts partnership efforts

    Military-to-military contacts are a "critical component" of global engagement and support the nation's security, according to the new National Security Strategy presented to Congress May 27. "Our ability to sustain these alliances, and to build coalitions of support toward common objectives, depends

  • Personnel recovery team lives up to its motto

    "These things we do, that others may live."That s the motto for the Airmen of the 64th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron who operate and maintain Joint Base Balad's rescue helicopters.Training exercises, conducted at both deployed locations and stateside units, are a never-ending way of life for the

  • Scott AFB converts to new defense accounting system

    Air Force and U.S. Transportation Command officials began a new era of financial management May 27 when Spiral 2 of the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System, or DEAMS, deployed to users at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. There are nearly 1,100 initial users at or associated with Scott AFB.

  • Misawa maintenance Airmen benefit from AFSO21 review

    For many Airmen, the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program is as abstract as its name. For the Airmen of the 35th Maintenance Squadron munitions flight munitions support equipment element here, an AFSO21 review revealed they could cut their work time in half. "Honestly, I was a

  • National Guard leaders observe Israel's nationwide exercise

    Sirens wailed across Israel and residents took shelter during a nationwide civil defense exercise carefully watched by a delegation of National Guard leaders May 26 here.The communication, collaboration and coordination National Level Exercise Turning Point 4 revealed between the Israeli Defense

  • 18th LRS recognized for community service

    Airmen from the 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron were honored by a Japanese non-profit organization May 22 for providing hundreds of hours of community service here.Five representatives of the 18th LRS were among several Air Force and Navy units and individuals recognized by the Good Conduct

  • Avionics shop works around the clock

    While many of us are heading to bed at the end of a long day, Airmen from the 437th Maintenance Squadron avionics flight are working around the clock in order to ensure vital repairs are made on parts necessary for C-17 Globemaster IIIs to conduct day-to-day operations.The avionics intermediate

  • Air Force Energy Forum on the horizon

    With a focus on the service's most pressing operational energy issues, Air Force officials will kick off the Air Force Energy Forum III here May 27.Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton, the Air Force's senior energy official, will deliver the keynote address during the two-day forum,

  • Mullen offers leadership challenges to Academy grads

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff challenged the U.S. Air Force Academy's graduating class to embrace a sense of duty and build on the lessons they learned here as they become tomorrow's leaders.Navy Adm. Mike Mullen praised the character and courage of the Class of 2010's members who chose

  • Airman leads joint Mi-35 attack helicopter adviser team for Afghan Air Corps

    A joint team of American, Czech Republic and Hungarian advisers assigned to the 440th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron are making strides helping Afghan National Army Air Corps Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopter pilots get into the fight."We are seeing the results of the teamwork of our advisers and

  • Review panel praises BMT program improvements

    The 22nd Basic Military Training Triennial Review Committee validated the positive effect expanded training has had on BMT graduates during its evaluation May 12 through 14 here.The committee observed program improvements achieved by expanding BMT to 8.5 weeks and adding a week-long Basic

  • Senior NCO makes difference in Afghans' lives

    A NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan senior NCO recently won the Air Force 2010 League of United Latin American Citizens "Excellence in Military Service Award" for service during his last deployment to Afghanistan.Senior Master Sgt. Limweshe Wright, a NTM-A's combined joint logistics office

  • C-27A adviser squadron now 100 percent manned

    A year of success stories continues for Airmen of the 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, who are advising Afghan National Army Air Corps soldiers on the use of the C-27A Spartan. "We are now fully manned and will be able to continue toward our goal of building a professional air force for

  • Museums offer free admission to military families

    Active-duty servicemembers and their families will gain free access to hundreds of museums throughout the nation this summer, thanks to a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families.More than 600 museums in 50 states and the District of Columbia have signed up so

  • Hiring surge to employ thousands

    With contractor-to-civilian conversions, new organizations standing up and overall increases in civilian positions, the Air Force civil service continues to grow as officials look to employ thousands of U.S. citizens.Air Force Personnel Center officials have filled more than 3,000 new positions

  • Guardian Challenge 2010 season a success

    Air Force Space Command officials announced the winners of Guardian Challenge 2010, the command-wide combat competition, during the awards ceremony May 21.The top awards and winners included: - The Schriever Trophy for Best Space Launch Wing: 45th Space Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. - The

  • Armament advisor makes Afghans proud

    Master Sgt. Raymond Rogers Jr. stands and watches two Afghan National Army Air Corps weapons loaders put new 12.7 mm rounds into the Yak-B Gatling gun of an MI-35 Hind E attack helicopter. For Sergeant Rogers Jr., a 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron armament and ammunition flight adviser,

  • Cadet candidates earn diplomas, Academy appointments

    One hundred ninety-nine members of the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School Class of 2010 said goodbye to 10 months of academic, military and physical training during commencement exercises May 18 in Arnold Hall here."It feels amazing," Cadet Candidate Michelle Ivey said of her graduation. "It

  • Top enlisted Airman addresses quality-of-life issues

    As Air Force leaders work to improve the quality of life for Airmen and their families, suicide prevention is among their top priorities, the service's top enlisted Airman said.The suicide rate for all four services in 2009 was higher than the national average, defense officials said. Air Force

  • El Salvadoran vice chief views Air Force training programs

    The vice chief of the Joint General Staff for the Republic of El Salvador visited Lackland AFB May 10 to 11 to gain insight on Air Force educational and training programs.The two-day visit by El Salvadoran air force Brig. Gen. Jaime Parada fell under the auspice of the Air Force Chief of Staff's

  • Mass fatality training integrates Air Guard recovery teams

    One of the key functions of the Regional Mass Fatality Management Training Evolution was to develop and evaluate protocol for integration of Air National Guard Fatality Search and Recovery Teams May 10 at the Army Reserve Center/Jersey City Police Facility."This partnership between the National

  • A new way to go from blue to green

    While Airmen and new recruits at basic training still "cross into the blue," Airmen at Pacific Air Forces are looking for new ways to cross into the green -- through reducing energy demands, increasing energy supplies and changing the culture.These methods form the three pillars of the Air Force

  • Lynn notes Cyber Command's significance

    Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III called the establishment of U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md., a milestone in the United States being able to conduct full-spectrum operations in a new domain.Mr. Lynn spoke to reporters in his office May 21 before attending the stand-up of the

  • Undersecretary's visit underscores importance of nuclear mission

    The Air Force's newest senior leader visited the Air Force's newest major command May 20.Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton visited Air Force Global Strike Command to get a firsthand view of the command.Hosted by Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, AFGSC commander, Ms. Conaton received briefings from

  • Portal offers new secure network tool similar to Facebook

    Air Force Portal Web designers are keeping up with the Web 2.0 era by offering portal users a new means to engage in professional communications in a secure social media environment.After initial tests among some 7,000 users in the Air Force's logistics community, the portal's newly developed

  • Aviano officials tap into Earth's energy

    Construction has begun to build a $680,000 geothermal plant here, the first of its kind in U.S. Air Forces in Europe."Aviano (AB officials are) actively leaning forward on numerous utility and energy-saving initiatives," said Lt. Col. Bo Bloomer, the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron commander. "The

  • Air Guard engineers assist Navajo Nation

    Two Air National Guard civil engineering units began renovation and construction work May 16 here at St. Michaels Association for Special Education.Members of the Virginia Air Guard's 203rd Red Horse Squadron and the Colorado Air Guard's 240th Civil Engineer Flight are repairing buildings,

  • Safety campaign provides awareness to Airmen

    As part of the Air Force's Wingman Stand Down 2010, missions here will be halted May 21 as Airmen seek methods of preventing suicides and private motor vehicle accidents by strengthening wingmen relationships.These stand downs will be held around the Air Force in May. While on the cusp of the 101

  • Gates establishes U.S. Cyber Command, names first commander

    Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced May 21 Army Gen. Keith B. Alexander's appointment as the first commander of U.S. Cyber Command, officially establishing the Initial Operating Capability for the new command. The announcement comes immediately following General Alexander's promotion to

  • Air Force chief of staff addresses 2010 CAF Airpower Symposium

    Although last minute plane troubles kept the Air Force's top uniformed leader from physically attending the 2010 Combat Air Forces Airpower Symposium at Langley Air Force Base May 19, it didn't keep him from delivering his keynote address to participants.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz

  • Single parents juggle military, home demands

    The active-duty military includes nearly 73,000 single parents, which equates to 5.3 percent of the total force, according to Defense Department statistics from 2008. The Army leads the way with more than 35,000 single parents, followed by the Navy with more than 16,000, and the Air Force with more

  • U.S. and Bulgarian airmen train together

    Airmen and F-15 Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing are participating in an exercise with airmen from the Bulgarian air force here.Sentry Gold is designed to provide members of the U.S. and Bulgarian air force the opportunity to learn from each other and increase their respective NATO

  • Training command becomes energy-efficient force

    Officials released a new energy plan in December to serve as the framework for communicating Air Force energy goals to expand a culture shift where Airmen make energy a consideration in everything they do.The priorities now involve energy-focused considerations from initial design and acquisition

  • Air Mobility Command commander visits Korea

    The commander of Air Mobility Command visited South Korea and the peninsula en-route to an AMC unit here May 16 through 18.Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr.'s visit to the 731st Air Mobility Squadron was his first since he assumed command of AMC in November 2009.The mission of the 731st AMS Airmen increased

  • Air Guard officials open access to social media sites

    Air National Guard officials have announced that access to popular social media networking sites would become available to all Airmen who use their network. They began to allow access to popular social media networking sites May 10 and were scheduled to have access available to all bases and regions

  • U.S., Vietnam conclude Pacific Angel mission

    U.S. and Vietnamese military members and non-governmental agencies concluded Operation Pacific Angel 2010 during a ceremony to recognize the joint and combined humanitarian assistance efforts provided to the Tan Thoi and Truong Thanh communities May 17 here. Operation Pacific Angel 2010 is a joint

  • 755th Air Expeditionary Group members celebrate one year with JET Airmen

    The 755th Air Expeditionary Group marked the one year anniversary of the creation of four air expeditionary squadrons whose purpose is to provide joint expeditionary tasked and individual augmentee Airmen May 5 here.Airmen assigned to the 655th, 755th, 855th and 955th AES are deployed to more than

  • Program links troops with career resources

    As the United States' economic crisis lingers, returning veterans are finding it harder to translate the skills they have learned on the battlefields onto a resume, but some employers are working with the military to bridge the gap.Staff members with the Employer Partnership Office of the Armed

  • Air Force chief of staff visits School of Aerospace Medicine

    The Air Force's top uniformed officer toured the 711th Human Performance Wing's U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks City-Base, Texas, May 13.During his visit, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz reflected on the 92-year history of the school and the unique training and

  • Iraqi training refresher course caters to prior servicemembers

    More than 1,025 prior Iraqi airmen are participating in a three-week Basic Military Training Top Off program at the Iraqi Air Force Training School here.The BMT Top Off course is a refresher course that reviews the preperation involved in basic military training, such as drill and dorm inspection,

  • AETC fields new management tool

    Air Education and Training Command officials will field new user-friendly software called the Task Management Tool, which is designed to support the task management process for AETC headquarters, Air University, 2nd Air Force, 19th Air Force and wing staff leadership beginning in September.The TMT

  • Air Force couple experiences dream wedding

    Cancer seemed as far away as a San Francisco seagull could fly as an Air Force captain danced his first dance with his new bride. Capt. Mike and Vanessa Hawkins married in a ceremony on the San Francisco waterfront May 14, and for a few weeks, they could push aside her stage IV Hodgkin's lymphoma

  • Air Force fitness program revisions begin July 1

    In less than two months, Airmen across the globe will begin testing against new fitness assessment standards. These standards were deemed necessary by senior Air Force leaders to ensure a fitter and healthier fighting force. Changes include bi-annual testing, minimum requirements within testing

  • First in, last out: Members of first RED HORSE squadron back in Iraq

    Members of the 200th Rapid Engineering Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer Squadron have arrived here to draw down the 557th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron from Iraq. As they complete the last construction and engineering projects and pack up their equipment and materials in the

  • U.S., Vietnam servicemembers continue humanitarian efforts

    U.S. and Vietnamese servicemembers continued their humanitarian efforts in villages surrounding Can Tho as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2010 scheduled through May 15 here. The U.S. and Vietnamese civil engineering teams supporting Pacific Angel 2010 have increased the maximum capacity of two

  • Air Force senior leaders take FY 2011 budget request to Capitol Hill

    The Air Force's top two leaders addressed the service's fiscal year 2011 budget request before the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee May 12 here. Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz explained how the request for baseline funds of

  • Warrior Games closing marks new beginning

    The 2010 Warrior Games may have ended May 14, but for the wounded warriors who competed here this week, their work is just beginning, officials hope."You've just completed a rigorous test of your physical and mental skills, your strength and endurance," Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint

  • Pacific Angel medical team relocates without missing a beat

    After providing three days of free medical care to more than 1,200 patients at Can Tho, Vietnam, the U.S. military medical team relocated their mission May 13 here as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2010. Medical teams from Vietnam and the U.S. began treating residents in Truong Thanh with free

  • Recruiting command chief retires after 30 years

    When Chief Master Sgt. Vance Clarke wakes each morning, he turns toward his wife and gently reaches over and touches her, a reminder as to why he continues to get out of bed each and every day at 4:30 a.m., dresses and heads to work.For the Air Force Recruiting Service command chief, his wife, Pam,

  • Construction begins on first cyber warfare intelligence center

    Engineers with the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment have begun construction on the new 38,000 square-foot cyber warfare command center.  The facility will be home for the 68th Network Warfare Squadron and the 710th Information Operations Flight currently located at

  • U.S., Vietnam building great relationships says U.S. Consul General

    The U. S. Counsul General from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, expressed his thanks to the U.S. and Vietnam for expanding their relationship through Operation Pacific Angel after touring the hosting facility here May 10.Consul General Kenneth J. Fairfax witnessed first-hand the combined effort of the

  • First lady announces military family review

    READY FOR REVIEWPresident Barack Obama has directed the national security staff to lead a 90-day review aimed at developing a federal-government-wide approach to supporting military families, First Lady Michelle Obama announced May 13 here."With just 1 percent of our population -- our troops --

  • Ground system adds more bandwidth to cluttered airspace

    The installation of a first-of-its-kind aeronautical telemetry ground system at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School here is improving aircraft communication in airspace already jumbled by frequencies from cell phones and satellite television.  This technology expands communications capability

  • Former Air Force medic participates in Warrior Games

    As a former firefighter, emergency medical technician and Air Force aeromedical evacuation Airman, retired Staff Sgt. Ricky Tackett dedicated his life to taking care of others. As a member of the Air Force team participating in the inaugural Warrior Games, people, his teammates, continue to be his

  • Afghan Air Interdiction Unit gets a boost

    Members of the Afghan Ministry of Interior's Air Interdiction Unit held a transition ceremony May 5 at an Afghan National Army Air Corps base in Kabul, Afghanistan, in support of the unit's notable accomplishments over the past 12 months. A few of the distinguished accomplishments include the

  • Elmendorf officials to open Fisher House

    Airmen here will take the first big step in building a haven for their wounded brethren when the groundbreaking for the Fisher House of Alaska takes place May 15.The groundbreaking ceremony is going to be held in concert with the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Anchorage Veteran Affairs

  • Deployment opportunities available for civilians

    Qualified Air Force civilians can broaden their career experience and bring valuable knowledge back to the workplace by volunteering for deployments in a variety of career fields, including civil engineering, contracting, intelligence, logistics management and security administration.As part of the

  • Partnership with Air Guard, Reserve offers new options with C-130 training

    The secretary of the Air Force announced May 4 that officials will proceed with a plan to augment the C-130 Hercules training fleet with C-130s from Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve squadrons.Secretary Michael Donley said Air Force planners will "continue to analyze the allocation of

  • Air Force officials announce FY 2011 force structure alignments

    Air Force officials announced May 11 the proposed force structure realignment for fiscal 2011.  The proposal provides a summary of the civilian and military personnel changes and aircraft assignments at Air Force installations for the upcoming fiscal year. This announcement supersedes all previous

  • Senior Enlisted Leader Summit participants discuss Airmen's global influence

    More than 370 senior enlisted leaders from the Air Force, joint and coalition community gathered for the Senior Enlisted Leader Summit to focus on strategic enlisted issues the first week of May here. The theme of this year's summit, "Deliberately Developing Airmen for Global Response," included 30

  • Disabled vets, troops compete in first Warrior Games

    Let the games begin.With the lighting of the ceremonial Olympic cauldron by National Football League hall of famer and U.S. Naval Academy graduate Roger Staubach, the much-anticipated inaugural Warrior Games are under way.Some 200 disabled veterans from all five branches of military service marched

  • Olympic path marks troops' journeys to fulfilled dreams

    The ceremony began much as any typical military procession does; with troops called to formation."I need a four-man front. Give me a four-man front," yelled a platoon leader.The troops joked and shifted, jostling about and adjusting spacing."Everybody in this row right here, shift back one," the

  • Offutt community to observe National Police Week

    The community of Offutt Air Force Base will observe National Police Week May 9 through 15, culminating in a retreat ceremony.Offutt AFB Airmen will host numerous functions throughout Police Week to honor security forces Airmen, here and around the globe, as well as civilian law enforcement officers

  • Barksdale Airmen test ability during exercise

    Approximately 150 maintenance Airmen, 2nd Bomb Wing pilots and support members recently returned from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, where they participated in the 10-day Exercise Red Flag-Alaska.The exercise is designed to provide realistic and demanding air-combat training to flying unit members

  • VA officials cutting insurance premiums for families

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials announced here that military members insuring their families under the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, which is administered by the VA, will have reduced out-of-pocket expenses beginning July 1."VA hopes these reductions will allow more military

  • Motorcycle champions rev up safe riding message

    Pentagon officials hosted their fourth annual motorcycle safety event May 8 here to rev up interest in learning the right way to ride.World-class riders including Keith Code, the director of the California Superbikes School, and Jeff Tilten, the co-producer of the safety film "Semper Ride," came out

  • New Noncommissioned Officer Academy to open at Sheppard AFB

    Air Force officials announced plans May 7 to open an Air Force Noncommissioned Officer Academy at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.The academy is scheduled to open its doors to technical sergeants in early 2011, with an initial expected graduation rate of about 1,300 annually. With the addition of

  • New Air Force Combat Systems Officer Course opens at Navy base

    Air Force aviator training took a step into the 21st century May 5, when the inaugural class of Combat Systems Officer students began training here with the 479th Flying Training Group.As they sat down in classes and began a new year-long training program, the CSO students became part of a

  • Chairman tells servicemembers it's okay to get help

    The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff wants service members to know it is okay to get help for behavioral health-related conditions. In a new video spotlighting Tricare's behavioral health care benefits, Adm. Mike Mullen sends a strong message to servicemembers struggling with feelings of

  • Exchange Service officials investing in facilities

    Construction on a military installation is a sign of progress as the Department of Defense transforms. Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials are playing an active part in this process as the organization has completed 123 major facility projects, valued at more than $1.1 billion dollars,

  • Officials expand opportunities for small businesses

    President Obama signed two executive orders April 26 that focus additional resources on providing new opportunities for small businesses to compete for federal contracts. Noting that "more work can and should be done" to help ensure the federal government meets its small business contracting goals,

  • Air Combat Command leader visits Tinker Airmen

    The commander of Air Combat Command wrapped up a two-day visit with an "all-call" assembly for 552nd Air Control Wing Airmen April 29 here.During the event, Gen. William M. Fraser III spoke about the importance of dedicated, resilient and innovative Airmen.He also spoke about the 552nd ACW mission

  • Gates to brief Senate on new START treaty

    Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is slated to go to Capitol Hill May 7 to brief the full Senate on the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed last month, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said May 7 here.Secretary of State

  • Warrior Games to include pentathlon ultimate challenge

    The inaugural Warrior Games competition May 10 through 14 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will feature individual and team events and an ultimate champion multi-sport challenge for a Chairman's Cup trophy. During a "DOD Live" bloggers roundtable May 6, Robert E. Moore